This invention relates to certain plant derived catechol complexes which are useful in a wide variety of applications and compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to certain plant derived catechol complexes which are effective in processes for the recovery of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs, the recovery of precious metal from difficult to process ores and the chemical modification of contaminants in aqueous based material to reduce the contaminant level of said contaminant aqueous based material.
Further, this invention relates to a process for recovering hydrocarbon, such as petroleum and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to processes wherein hydrocarbons are recovered from subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formations, i.e., reservoirs. This invention further relates to the use of plant derived catechol complexes in aqueous based compositions, such as process water and other aqueous and non aqueous solvent based coating compositions. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions having corrosion inhibiting and/or biocide activity. The coating compositions find particular usefulness as coatings, including paints, on iron and aluminum metal surfaces.
Producing petroleum from subterranean reservoirs has become increasingly difficult. A large portion of the original crude petroleum in place in many subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs remains in place after primary production and water flooding. As oil reserves dwindle and exploration for new discoveries becomes more difficult and costly, the use of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques on previously discovered resources will play an increasingly important role in the overall production of crude petroleum.
Many industrial processes generate unacceptable amounts of contaminants or pollutants particularly in aqueous based materials such as process water streams, contaminated ground water streams and the like. Both organic contaminants and inorganic contaminant components can be generated from important processes such as ore extraction, photographic processing, chemical manufacture and metal finishing.
In many applications wherein metals come in contact with corrosive environments, there is a need for improved corrosion protection in order to improve the operating life of equipment such as tanks, pipes, and various other fabricated equipment and containers.